Questions answered about BASE by its original pioneers
Lee Silver inquiry (facebook.com/Sunshinesuperman) -- answered
after 1/17/16 TV premiere of Sunshine Superman:
Remember, it is harder to watch someone walk across the top of a roof than it is to do it yourself.
I know of no BASE jumper who has "just fallen off" an object. I was front person once on a 4-person diamond formation launch off the
steep exit point overhanging El Capitan in Yosemite, and I did ask the guys behind to please stop pushing forward against me while we were getting set in our launch spots right on the edge,
because I had no room to spare up there! They were great about it; we got set quickly and had a beautiful launch and jump together.
We can be sure we don't land on anyone because we do two things: "spot" (look down) and make sure both the areas directly below and the
intended landing area are clear before launching (in accordance with FAA regulations to ensure "no conflict of airspace"), plus our parachute canopies are highly steerable, and normally ground
crew is already double checking in advance. Once, at the New River Gorge Bridge, I watched a young boy turn and run right in front of a jumper in the same direction the jumper was set up on
final landing approach; the jumper was flying faster than the boy could run so deftly scooped him up in a hugging motion and finished landing with the boy embraced aloft in his arms -- everyone
was overjoyed and impressed to see such fine parachuting skill so gently and naturally executed.
-- Jean Boenish 1/17/16